CATTLE
From page 12
with excellent foraging ability
and are able to adapt to a
wide variety of climatic
conditions.
Nguni cows are also smaller,
cope with drought and
excessive heat and are not
prone to tick-borne diseases.
If you are going to keep cows
for milk, there are different
breeds of dairy cattle that are
farmed with in South Africa.
All cattle breeds, and some
goat breeds, have the ability
to supply milk surplus to the
needs of their young. If you
are keeping just one or two
cows for purely household
purposes then it is not
essential to keep dairy cows,
since even beef cows can be
milked. However, for
commercial milk production,
consistently high yields are
essential if a dairy enterprise is
to retain its viability.
The most popular dairy
breeds are the HolsteinFriesland, the Jersey, and the
Ayrshire, but there are other
Holstein-Friesland
breeds such as the Guernsey,
Milk Shorthorn, SA Dairy
Swiss, Dexter, and the
Simmentaler.
The most popular is wellknown black and white
Holstein-Friesland. This breed
originated in the northern
parts of what is today the
Netherlands. Over the years a
number of distinctive strains
have evolved within the
breed, and some authorities
maintain that it is possible to
discern a "South African
Friesian". The HolsteinFriesland is a large-framed
animal, the mature cow mass
varying from 550 to 650 kg.
is its milking ability. High
yields of milk with a relatively
low butterfat content may be
expected. Ease of milking and
a good temperament make
this breed a favourite.
Of the four better-known
breeds of dairy cattle, the
Jersey is the smallest, making
it a better choice for a
smallholder. Mature cows
weigh between 380 and 450
Bulls often exceed 1 000 kg.
kg. The outstanding characBut the outstanding character- teristic of the Jersey